Method of tandem cropping for increased production of food grain crops

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of tandem cropping for increased production of up to 40% in wheat and mustard crops using varieties with phenological plasticity and temperature tolerance traits. The cereal bread wheat and oil seed mustard are traditional winter season (Rabi) crops in north India/Indo-Gangetic plains. This area experiences receding levels of warm weather and long days in September, October and November, progressive increase and then decrease of cold conditions and short days between November and March and onset of warm weather turning into summer and relatively longer days in March and April. Conventionally a seasonal crop of wheat or mustard or wheat followed by mustard or vice versa could be taken in the winter Rabi season of Indo-Gangetic plains to increase the production of these commodities. The concept has not occurred to persons skilled in the art of wheat cultivation and breeding and as far as is known there is no report of tandem cultivation of wheat under natural seasonal changes of agro-climates in areas where wheat cultivation is practiced. For tandem cropping, wheat and mustard cultivars must posses properties of flowering under long day or short day conditions, tolerating temperature gradients and reaching maturity earlier than normal.

I claim: 
     
       1. A method of tandem cropping for increasing the production of wheat comprising the steps of:
 (a) selecting a variety of wheat having an early maturation capacity ranging between 70-120 days; 
 (b) sowing a first crop of said variety of wheat between the first and third weeks of September and harvesting said first crop between the fourth week of November and the fourth week of December; and then 
 (c) sowing a second crop of said variety of wheat between the first week of December and third week of January and harvesting said second crop between the third week of March and the fourth week of April; sowing said second crop 20 days or fewer after harvesting said first crop; 
 wherein two crops of wheat are obtained in one season and the combined yield of said first crop and said second crop is in the range of 9-11 tons/hectare. 
 
     
     
       2. A method according to  claim 1  wherein said wheat is wheat variety “Pusa Gold” WR 544. 
     
     
       3. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the combined yield of said first crop and said second crop of wheat is in the range of 30-50% higher than a conventionally sown crop of wheat. 
     
     
       4. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the yield of said first crop is in the range of 4-6 tons/hectare and the yield of said second crop is in the range of 3-7 tons/hectare.